MEDFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. (WPVI) -- A crowded and tense town hall meeting drew heated exchanges Tuesday night as Medford residents objected to the township's plan to build affordable housing at three locations, in order to comply with state requirements.
The township's obligations stem from a 1975 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling requiring municipalities to provide their "fair share" of affordable housing.
The state recalculates each town's required number of units every 10 years based on factors such as population, income and land capacity.
The latest round began in 2025. Medford Township is required to add 171 affordable housing units by 2035. Officials say meeting that requirement will necessitate building nearly 800 additional market-rate homes to subsidize the affordable units.
Resident Jason Kleinman argued that the scale of development runs counter to what residents value.
"This approach is directly contrary to what residents have repeatedly said: that people want to move to Medford for its low density, its open space, its farmland and its quality of life," Kleinman said. "Largescale projects will increase traffic on the already strained roads, burden the emergency services, the infrastructure and the schools, which I've got two kids in schools right now, they're already at their limits. There's no room."
Township officials described it as a "lose-lose situation," saying they share residents' concerns about overdevelopment, but are required to comply with the state courtmandated affordable housing obligations or risk lawsuits from developers.
"We are trying to make the best of a bad situation," Township Manager Daniel Hornickel said. "We know there's a lot of towns up north that have tried to challenge whether it's the numbers or the obligation altogether. They're challenging it in the same court system that says you have to do it. So, it's not a high likelihood of success."
But residents in Tuesday night's audience said they want their elected officials to fight for them.
"I don't think there's one person behind me that wants this," resident Anthony Capoli said. "We're gonna allow the state to roll Medford, that's what we're basically saying here. We're laying down."
His comments drew applause from the crowd.
Many speakers said they're not against building more affordable housing; they're against the way the township is going about it.
All New Jersey municipalities were required to submit affordable housing plans in June. They have until the end of the year to resolve any issues, and until March 31 to formally adopt their plans.
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